Referring to the reports in the social media that Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is a contender for the papacy which has fallen vacant with the death of Pope Francis, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka said there is no such thing called contenders for the papacy.
“There is no such thing called contenders for the papacy. Anyone out of the 252 in the College of Cardinals can be elected as the next pope,” Member of the Communications Committee Archdiocese of Colombo Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando told the News Asia
The cardinals who are eligible to vote, which is 117 in total, will elect the new pope,” he said.
Meanwhile National Catholic Mass Communications Director Fr. Jude Krishantha told the media that Cardinal Ranjith is a popular figure among the college of Cardinals.
